One operator
*Labor $18.00/hour 8 hours/day
*Overtime work 2 hours
*250 operational days/year
*Exchange Rate: 1(USD)=100(Japanese Yen)
| Electronic Components | |
| Continuity Inspection Tool – CT-Effects Application Example | |
| [ Robot/Electric Actuators ] |
[ Controllers ] |
| RCP4-SA7C, RCP2-SS8C | PCON-CA |
[Equipment Detail]
It is a continuity inspection tool used for a PC extension board manufacturer.
An air cylinder is used in this application to insert an edge connector on a PC board.
An operator loads and unloads a PC board to the air cylinder manually.
- [Problems in Using an Air Cylinder]
Since you can’t change speed with air cylinders, you will need to move the entire stroke at the same speed to insert the PC board to the inspection tool. The cycle time is 15 seconds, and the number of work pieces that can be inspected in an 8 hour work day was 1,920 pieces *1.Management decided to increase the production volume of the PC boards to 2,400 pieces per 8 hour shift and to accomplish this, 2 hours *2 of over time per day was required.
*1 (8 * 60 * 60) seconds/ 15 seconds/ piece
*2 (2,400 – 1,920) pieces * 15 seconds/ piece
[Benefits of Replacing with ROBO Cylinder]
By switching to ROBO Cylinder, this enables them to move at high speed before insertion and then slow down just before the insertion, which lead to a shorter cycle time of 12 seconds.
It is now able to finish inspection within the operational hours. Also the reduction of labor cost for overtime work was accomplished.
The cost spent to replace the cylinder was retrieved in the 1st year, which resulted in a cost reduction of $9,000 from the 2nd year.
| Subject | Equipment with Air Cylinder | Equipment with the ROBO Cylinder |
| Cycle Time | 15 seconds | 12 seconds |
Here is an example of how to reduce labor costs and increase production by automatizing the electronic encapsulation process using the Table Top type robot TTA series, which was conducted manually previously.
*Exchange Rate: 1(USD)=100(Japanese Yen)
| Electronic Components / Applicator | |
| Potting and Encapsulation Machine – CT-Effects Application Example | |
| [ Robot/Electric Actuators ] |
[ Controllers ] |
| TTA-A3 | Built-in |
[Equipment Overview]
Set a pallet on the equipment and press the start button on the TTA. The equipment starts applying a molding encapsulant on the PCB (printed circuit board) one by one to seal them up.
[Detail of the Work Process]
- The work piece is a PCB (printed circuit board) which is placed on a pallet. (20 work pieces for 1 pallet)
- Since the application process was conducted manually before introducing the equipment, it took 36 seconds for one work piece.
- It takes 3 minutes (180 seconds) to replace the pallet (operation time to remove the pallet, set a new one and then press the start button).
- [Effect after Automatizing]
- A molding encapsulant gets applied evenly in minimum time for the necessary amount, which made the operation time 30 seconds on average per work piece.
- Since the worker is now only responsible for “the placement and removal of the pallets” and “to press the start button”, the person in charge of other duties can now handle this operation as well, which reduced the labor cost for workers who performed application.
| Subject | Manual Work | Equipment with TTA |
| Cycle Time | 36 seconds/piece | 30 seconds/piece |
| Production Amount per day in Unit of pallets | 32 Pallets(*2) | 37 Pallets(*3) |
| Production Amount per day (Amount in unit of pallets 20 pieces/pallet) | 640 pieces | 740 pieces |
| Labor Cost per day | $120/day(*4) | $27/day(*5) |
| Labor Cost per Year (Labor cost per day *240 working days) | $28,800/year | Approx.$6,500/year |
(*1) $28,800-$6,500. Subtracting automatizing cost in the 1st year will give $22,300 subtract TTA, machine, and program cost.
(*2) 28,800 seconds (operation time per day)/(36 seconds/piece *20 pieces/pallet + Pallet replacing time 180 seconds)=32 pallets=> Number of pallet replacing is 31 times
(*3) 28,800 seconds/(30 seconds/piece *20 pieces/pallet + pallet replacing time 180 seconds)=37 pallets=> Number of pallet replacing is 36 times
(*4) Labor $15/hour, 8hours/day
(*5) Total working time per day for pallet replacing=Time for pallet replacing 3 minutes. *Pallet replacing 36 times=108 min.(=1.8 hours), Labor cost=$15/hour, 8hours/day
*Exchange Rate: 1(USD)=100(Japanese Yen)
See more IAI electric actuator application examples
| Electronic Components | |
| External Diameter Measuring Tool for Precision Pipe – CT-Effects Application Example |
|
| [ Robot/Electric Actuators ] |
[ Controllers ] |
| ISPB-LXMX |
XSEL-P/Q/J/K |
[Equipment Detail]
An optical measuring tool moves along a pipe and measures the external diameter at a specific location (near center) of the pipe surface.
The cycle time was long and this was the bottle neck in the production line.
A pipe is placed and removed manually.
[Problem in Using an Air Cylinder]
The pipe length was 2,000mm, and the measuring action was activated by a sensor. As it was not possible to have a speed change on the way in order to obtain stability through constant speed operation, the instrument needed to have a low-speed operation through the whole stroke.
Line stoppage has occurred for 30 minutes a day due to measuring error.
[After Replacing to ROBO Cylinder]
Moving with high speed to the front of the measurement point, moving slowly to take measurement at the measurement point, then travel back to the home position with high speed enabled for shorter cycle time.
The measurement tool moves stably in constant speed, which ended with nearly 0 times of line stoppage due to measurement error.
By using the zone output signal, the sensor is no more needed.
Eliminating the bottle neck and improved the line productivity.
[CT Effects – Reduction in Cycle Time/Choco Tei]
| Subject | Instrument with Air Cylinder | Instrument with Electric Cylinder |
| Cycle Time | 40 seconds/piece | 20 seconds/piece |
| Duration of Line Stoppage | 30 minutes/day | 0 |
| Number of Work Pieces inspected in Line Operation Hours | 585 pieces (*1) | 1,260 pieces (*2) |
7-hour operation per day (420 minutes)
(*1) (420 minutes – Line Stoppage 30 minutes) *60 seconds/ 40 seconds/ piece=585 pieces
(*2) 420 minutes *60 seconds/ 20 seconds/ piece=1,260 pieces
See more IAI electric actuator application examples